[mjk]

I know there have been numerous posts about this, but absolutely everytime I have to deal with a bank in HK (any bank) I am getting somewhat frustrated and feel like closing my bank account on the spot. But as there is no alternative, I stay on as an unhappy customer...

Just why can't they make banking as easy as it should (and can!) be?

For example... money transfer. First they set your transfer limit at something like HK$ 1000/day (without asking) and it requires a personal visit to the bank and some paperwork to increase this (to a maximum level which is still not sufficient!)
Next they make it ridiculous difficult to transfer to another bank, whereby a transfer to another account at the same bank is still relatively easy.
Plus they charge for it! Yes, I know they also run a business and have to make a profit, but if they would just make it easier online, then I could do it all by myself, and they could save counter staff or close half their branches, making the current fees obsolete. It works in (some) other countries!

And I also never found out why there is a difference between money transfer and bill payment.

Or Standing Orders for example... should be as easy as transfering money, but not here! I have to go to the bank, fill in a form, pay HK$50. Again, I know they need to make money, but why can't I just go online, set up and delete standing orders any time I want?

Actually I am always wondering why they still use cheques in Hong Kong. I remember cheques as something my dad used to have like 20 years ago. I have never owned a cheque book in my life before coming to HK. Is this system still in use because they make online banking so difficult?

For most of my enquries at the bank I am getting the same reply: "No, sorry sir, this is not possible". Are there any government regulations that do not allow for good customer service, or is it up to the bank to make such decisions?

So frustrating. But feeling better already now that I let it out...

[PDLM]

I don't have any problems doing any of the above online with my bank, with the exception of local standing orders. Every bank in the world that I have dealt with has default transfer limits; one visit to a bank isn't go to kill you (in fact you can download the form, sign it and send it in the mail), and then it's done for good... The maximum transfer to a registered account (i.e. one that you've filled such a form in for) is HK$1M per day which surely works for 99.99% of people. I'm quite happy that for unregistered accounts the limit is $50,000 per day.

I do agree that it is ridiculous that I can set up a standing order online to any bank account anywhere in the world outside Hong Kong, but not to a Hong Kong account. I have never managed to get a satisfactory answer from HSBC as to why this is. So now I have two standing orders set up to do a local standing order - one from my HSBC HK account to my HSBC UK account and then another one back to someone else's HSBC HK account. Madness, but it works.